The Pilot's Wife

Throughout the novel, Jack keeps a variety of secrets from Kathryn. Why does Jack go to such great lengths to keep secrets from Kathryn, even small and innocuous ones? How does Shreve foreshadow and plant the seeds of Jack’s having a second family?

When Robert is telling Kathryn about the cockpit recording, he reminds her, “Even one phrase different, [...] and the whole tape could mean something else” (179). How does the novel explore shifting perspectives? How do shifting perspectives connect to the deeper meaning of the novel?

Kathryn is transparent and articulate about her grief. Trace Kathryn’s grieving process throughout the novel. What, in the end, allows her to let go of her grief and move forward in her life?

Julia, Kathryn’s grandmother, does not appear often in the story, and yet her presence is an important one. What role does Julia play in the novel, and why is she an important character?

What role does Muire Boland play in the novel? Beyond being Jack’s love interest, what does her character add to the story? How does she act as a foil to Kathryn?

How did Kathryn’s parents’ relationship affect Kathryn’s ideas about love and marriage? How does Kathryn’s understanding manifest in her marriage to Jack?

Early in the novel, Kathryn has “the distinct sense that they were involved in a war” (72). Trace her use of this metaphor of war and battle throughout the book and discuss its meaning in relation to the larger themes of the novel.

Both Kathryn and Muire were married to Jack, one in a courthouse and one in a church. Yet, in the end, Kathryn considers Muire’s marriage with Jack to be the more legitimate. Why does Kathryn come to feel this way?